Police are thought to be investigating incidents at the Wingfield Academy in Rotherham, Yorkshire, where at least six red-headed students were attacked on their way to classes on the same day.

The apparently coordinated attacks are similar to an idea featured in the controversial US adult cartoon South Park, in which characters organise a ‘Kick a Ginger Day’.

Parents at the 850-student school, with pupils aged between 11 and 16, have launched a Facebook group to highlight the issue, posting pictures of their children’s bruises and leading calls to ensure there is no repeat of the violence.

One mother, who asked not to be named, said she had taken her 13-year-old son out of the school until teachers could assure her there would be no further attacks.

She said: "My son rang me and said kids were kicking him, saying it was National Kick a Ginger Kid Day. He was scared so I went to get him out of school.

"My son's leg is swollen and there are bruises coming through.

“It is both boys and girls who have been carrying out this bullying and I want action from the school to make sure it does not happen again.”

The father of a 13-year-old girl said his daughter had also come home with bruised legs after being singled out because of her hair colour.

"I think it's disgusting,” he said. “It's very upsetting for my daughter. If I went into school and kicked a kid then I would be arrested.

"She should be able to go to school without having to worry about being kicked in the corridor.”

Several websites devoted to ‘Kick a Ginger Day’ have listed 20 November as the ‘official’ date, leading to concerns there will be further attacks on pupils next month.

Senior staff at the Wingfield Academy said the pupils who carried out the attacks had been “strongly reprimanded".

A spokesman for the school, which was rated ‘Outstanding’ for student care by Ofsted, said: “These deplorable acts, done in the name of singling innocent people out, have no place in our school and as soon as it was brought to my attention that such acts had taken place in our school, we acted swiftly to deliver a strong message.

"The pupils involved in carrying out these acts of violence have been strongly reprimanded and a school-wide warning has gone out that any future acts of violence, carried out in the name of discrimination, or any other reason, will be met with similar strong and decisive action.”